NBL to investigate altercations between Brisbane and Adelaide as two sides prepare for rematch

TOMORROW’S re-match between Brisbane and Adelaide promises to be another spiteful affair after the NBL cleared Bullet Mika Vukona and Sixer Anthony Drmic of any wrongdoing in Thursday night’s heated clash.

TOMORROW’S re-match between Brisbane and Adelaide promises to be another spiteful affair after the NBL cleared Bullet Mika Vukona and Sixer Anthony Drmic of any wrongdoing in Thursday night’s heated clash.

The NBL received requests from the Bullets and 36ers for the NBL’s Game Review Panel (GRP) to further investigate the fiery flashpoint during Brisbane’s 108-98 win.

The GRP determined that the incident involving contact between Drmic and Vukona and then subsequent contact between Vukona and Sixer Nathan Sobey from the 5:08 mark in the second quarter was appropriately dealt with by the game officials on the night and no charge is warranted for either player.

That leaves both players free to play in tomorrow’s game, adding even more spice.

The blow-up took place halfway through the second quarter, with Drmic receiving an unsportsmanlike foul for making contact with Vukona, who received an unsportsmanlike foul for grabbing Sobey. Sobey was then slapped with a technical foul for being the third player involved.

The penalties were handed out by the referees after reviewing replays at a courtside TV.

Both teams were left frustrated by the refereeing. Picture: AAPSource:AAP

It is not the first time that tempers have flared between the clubs.

A war of words erupted in November 2016 after then-Bullets forward Daniel Kickert was charged with headbutting Drmic in a match in Adelaide.

Drmic was recently cleared by the NBL after his elbow made contact with the head of Melbourne United star Chris Goulding.

New Bullets import Lamar Patterson travelled with the Brisbane squad after sitting in on the video review of Thursday night’s victory over the 36ers that reached boiling point after both teams became frustrated with the inconsistent refereeing.

Patterson has trained in his first hitout with the club after his well-documented arrival in the country on Thursday with his pet dog Kobe in his hand luggage.

The Bullets are set to unleash new import Lamar Patterson. Picture: AAPSource:AAP